CORRIDOR URBANISM A VISION FOR CONWAY’S OAK STREET CORRIDOR.
RDG PLANNING AND DESIGN
BY JULIET B. RICHEY, AICP
Further developed sidewalks and curb cuts are will bring a new level of safety to Oak Street.
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Oak Street has long been a vital artery for Conway and a gateway into the city. Historically, it began as a main thoroughfare in downtown Conway, and over time, it evolved into a bustling commercial corridor linking the Interstate 40 corridor (constructed in 1970) with both the historic and modern sectors of the city. However, both the function and appearance of the corridor have faced challenges as the corridor has shown its age. To address this concern, the city of Conway partnered with Garver and RDG Planning & Design to study transportation, land use and urban design along two and a half miles of the Oak Street corridor. The Oak Street Ahead Corridor Study, adopted by the city, presents a comprehensive plan to address existing challenges and propose improvements to enhance the corridor’s functionality, aesthetics and economic vitality. The study employs the concept of Corridor Urbanism. The concept of Corridor Urbanism, a term coined by RDG’s Marty Shukert, FAICP, is central to the study’s approach. This approach focuses on respect for the realities of planning in an environment that is primarily built out and busy, supporting the businesses and residents of the city. Corridor Urbanism is a concept developed to enhance urban corridors like Oak Street by respecting existing 46 | BLOCK, STREET & BUILDING VOLUME 11 | 2025
businesses and evolving the corridor into a more vibrant and sustainable environment. This approach integrates principles from New Urbanism and Landscape Urbanism, focusing on mixed use, connectivity, street quality, density and civic life. As a consulting planner, my team works with cities and counties throughout Arkansas to aid in planning for their communities’ future. The goal of a team on a project like Oak Street Ahead is to work collaboratively with city staff, stakeholders and the greater community to help each community plan to be the best version of itself. This is done while anticipating the need to respond to changing times, markets, development pressures and economic realities that the community will face. The result is realistic plans serving all stakeholders within the community. Many philosophies of urbanism seen today are utopian. While guiding excellent design principles, they conveniently exclude realities existing within our cities, such as commercial corridors, interstate highways and airports. Ignoring vital elements of the community to support utopian philosophy does not allow local governments to holistically plan for their future. This is why Corridor Urbanism is effective in providing analysis of better and more efficient ways to enhance the environments and investments that exist within unique areas of our communities today.